


Thanks

by ItsMeTheRunner



Category: The Runner (Go90)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 09:39:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7679431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsMeTheRunner/pseuds/ItsMeTheRunner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After 29 days of non-stop action on the road, Matthew Patrick (MatPat) and Kaj Larsen reunited for a brief moment at Central 90. But, since the show is over, there's nothing that ties them together anymore. So they try to go back to their own lives. But can it really be that simple?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

"I should see how Mat's doing." Ever since their separation, Kaj Larsen has had nothing but Matthew on his mind. He had given Matthew all the items from his trip around the country: various hats, a batting helmet, some saltwater taffy and even an engraved Louisville Slugger bat. 

But Kaj knew about Matthew's penchant for food. On more than one occasion, Matthew had asked Kaj to bring home regional food cuisines including Superman Ice Cream and a hot brown. He told Matthew time and time again to eat healthier in order to make his body fit for swimsuit season. As he found out later from the Go90 crew members, Matthew didn't necessarily heed his advice - eating fast food everyday.

Kaj knew that Matthew wouldn't eat healthy, unless he brought it to him. He still needed to thank Matthew for the Captured Shirt and the Scrapbook, anyway. Images popped up in his mind, as it did, he started to smile. He had the perfect gifts for Matthew now. 

Grabbing his cellphone, he dialed Matthew's phone number. "Hey, bro. Are you free today? Can I stop by?"


	2. Chapter 1

It's been a week since The Runner finished. The ACT clues are over and there's no more money to be given out. Matthew Patrick sits on his couch in his home, dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants working on the latest theory. Scott Cawthon decided to surprise the internet, yet again, with another Five Nights at Freddy's game. It was supposed to be released in the Fall of this year, but like every time Scott teases a release, it dropped early, resulting tons of requests from his social media handles on twitter and YouTube to do a theory on Five Nights at Freddy's once again.

Matthew let out a long sigh, and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. He had to play through this game, come up with a theory for it, script it and send it off to Ronnie, his editor, before the game lost traction and steam online. With a deadline to finish the game fast approaching, Matthew could feel the pressure. He ruffled his hair. "Damn it, Scott Caw-" He stopped mid-sentence as he heard his phone ringing, playing [ACT One](https://clyp.it/swqt21zt). It was the song he danced to on The Runner; one of the clue writers at the show made this creative audio file for America's Cash Task, and he had broken out into a jig. The mere memory of it brought a smile to his face. And he knew that ringtone anywhere. He hastily grabbed his phone out of his pocket, "Kaj! My co-host with the most! What's up, buddy?"

"Uh-huh. Yeah, I'm free tonight. I'm just doing research for a theory I have to release within the next few weeks. You're more than welcome to come on by. Stephanie will be out anyway with her girlfriends. Yeah, see you tonight."

Matthew hung up the phone with a smile on his face. To see Kaj again so soon after the show ended, he was ecstatic to say the least. But he knew that he had to finish as much as he could of his work before Kaj arrived.

Letting out a deep sigh, Matthew grabbed his laptop from the kitchen table, plopped down on the couch, put on his headphones and began to work.


	3. Chapter 2

When Matthew was deep at work, he zoned out, ignoring everything around him. He couldn't even tell the sun had set. It was nightfall when Matthew finally took off his headphones for the day. He had spent hours playing, researching and racking his brain for theories on this game. He was exhausted.

Then Matthew heard the doorbell. Still in his exhaustive stupor, Matthew stumbled over to the door, wondering who it could be at this hour. He opened the door to find Kaj, dressed in a button-down short sleeve polo shirt, his hair slicked back, holding his hands behind his back.

"Kaj!" 

Matthew's arms came up to embrace Kaj, his arms wrapping tightly around Kaj's broad shoulders. "I missed you, buddy."

"And I missed you," Kaj whispered into Mat's ear.

Matthew released Kaj from his embrace, his face turning red at Kaj's words. "Come in, come in. Make yourself at home." Matthew ushered Kaj into his home. Kaj took a seat on the living room sofa, next to his laptop. A place where Matthew had been moments ago.

Kaj brought out his hands from behind his back. He held out two plump Georgia peaches to Mat.

Confused, Mat said, "Peaches?"

Kaj nodded, offering the peaches to Mat. "I have more in the car. I needed to thank you for the Captured Shirt and the scrapbook you gave me of our time together."

Extremely flattered by the gesture, Matthew took the peaches from Kaj and placed them on a kitchen table, before coming back to the living room. "You shouldn't have."

"I had to. I couldn't leave my bro hanging like that. Come with me." Kaj stood up and offered Mat his hand. "I need help getting your thank you presents out of the car."

Matthew shrugged his shoulders. Kaj couldn't have brought him that much stuff, right? Matthew nodded, and took Kaj's hand in his. They both went out to Kaj's car, which was parked in their driveway.

Matthew turned to Kaj asked, "So how much did you-"

Kaj grinned, and opened the trunk of the car. Inside the car was a wooden basket filled with peaches, as well as a long, rectangular object wrapped in wrapping paper.

"You didn't," said Matthew.

"I did. Now carry that in while I bring in your peaches." Kaj pointed to the rectangular object.

Matthew reached over to grab the object. Holding it in his hands, he began to run his hands over it. He squeezed the object, trying to rip holes in it so that he could see what was inside. 

Meanwhile, Kaj grabbed the basket of peaches out of the car and placed them down on the floor. He closed the car's trunk and began to walk back to the house. Kaj looked back, seeing Matthew still at car and asked, "Mat, you coming?"

"Coming!" Matthew held the object tight in his hands and ran into the house after him.

They brought their items into the house, Kaj brought the peaches to the kitchen and Matthew following close behind.

"So Kaj, what's with all the peaches? I have enough here to grow an orchard."

"Well, Mat. I really want you ready for bathing suit season, especially because there's only a couple of months left of summer, so I brought you some peaches. We need to get that body of yours ready for the ladies, and eating healthy is the only way to do it." Kaj shot him an innocent grin.

Matthew sighed. He'd have to explain the basket of peaches to Stephanie when she came home. "And what about this?" Matthew waived the soft, rectangular object in the air. It flopped around.

Kaj gave a mischievous grin to Matthew. "You can open it later. It's for you. So, what have you been up to, bro? Gotten some of that California sunshine yet?"

"I haven't." Matthew ran his hand through his hair. "I've just been so busy working on these theories, what with the new Five Nights at Freddy's game dropping already."

"Have you taken a break at all?" inquired Kaj.

"Not really. I've been on the computer mostly all day, playing the game itself and trying to come up with a good theory for this episode."

"Let's change that right now." Kaj grabbed Matt's hand and led him back to the living room couch. Matthew still had the object in his hands so Kaj placed the object next to him as he plopped Matthew down, got the remote, turned on the television. As Kaj loaded Netflix, he sat down next to Mat. "Netflix and Chill?"

"Alright."

Kaj used the remote to look into Matthew's Netflix queue. "House of Cards? How far did you get?"

"Not that far. I haven't been able to keep up with it because Game Theory, Film Theory, GT Live and consulting keep me really busy."

"It's settled. House of Cards it is."

They binged watch episode after episode from that series. Kaj talking to Matthew about the series, and Matthew, exhausted from his research and workday, just listened as Kaj talked. 

Sometime into their binge session, Kaj felt something leaning on his shoulder. He turned slightly and saw Matthew's brown hair leaning on his shoulders, his eyes closed.

Kaj chuckled softly. He wasn't planning on staying over at Matthew's house long, but plans change. He couldn't leave Mat all alone like this in the living room.

Kaj carefully reached over to grab the object next to him. He put the object on the floor behind them and gently put Matthew's head on it. After putting Matthew's head down, Kaj lied down next to him, gently stroking Matthew's brown hair. "Well, at least I know he'll put the body pillow to good use."


End file.
